Gas-generating system.



'0. E. CLARK.-

GAS GENERATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I7, I9I4.

1,147,608. l Patented July'zo, 1915.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

C. E. CLARK.

` GAS GENERATING SYSTEM.

APPLlc/lon FILED MAR. 17, 1914.

Patented July 20, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Immun; Y

WIT/VESSES t INI/EN TUR oEEicE.

CHESTER. E. CLARK, or NEW oEK, N. Y.

yGASeEurEmrirlvG SYSTEM Application filed March 17, 1914. Serial No.825,261.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHESTER E. CLARK, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city of New York, Tompkinsville,

borough of Richmond, county of Richmond2 and State of New York, haveinvented a new and Improved Gas-Generating System, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in gas generating systems, andhas for an object to provide an improved structure which may use crudeoil or any desired oil, and produce a gas easily transported and readyfor use at all times.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improvedstructure wherein the same works under pressure maintained at a certaintension, whereby a certain mixture of gas is produced continually,according to the way the device is set to operate.

A still further object of the invention isv to provide a generatingsystem which will generate gas that may be stored and transmitted anydesired. distance without deterioration, said gas being generated fromheavy oils, as for instance crude oil.

In carrying out the object of the invention the same may be associatedwith various devices, as for instance an ordinary explosive engine. Whenassociated with an explosive engine the manifold or exhaust tube is.utiv lized so that the heat from' the exhaust will heat the oil to thedesired temperature so that the same may properly mix with the airsupplied thereto at a proper point. The supply tank is provided with anydesired quantity of oil, and is then connected to asuitable pump whichmaintains a predetermined pressure of air'in the tank. This causes theoil to be fed from the tank and also provides an air supply which isutilized in making the gas. The oil from the tank is forced through asuitable pipe inclosed in a housing, said pipe and housing beingarranged in the manifold of the engine.

mixing device or generator is connected with the oil pipe extendingthrough the manifold and with an air pipe extending from the supplytank. These two pipes discharge heated oil and air, respectively. Theair is caused to flow or be discharged across the spray or discharge ofoil, whereby a perfect mixture is produced, the discharge being made ina suitable mixing chamber provided wlth a refuse compartment, and with adischarge outlet. From the lmixing chamber the air passes through asuitable filler 'into a storagechamber, and from thence to the explosiveeng-'ine or other point of utilization. It is to be noted that thegenerating device causes a proper mixture of the air and oil to producea proper explosive gas when the device is to be used on an explosiveengine, such gas being adapted to be exploded without the extra mixingof additional air by a carbureter or other similar device. Then the gasyis to be used for heating purposes or for any other purpose thegenerating device is readjusted so as to produce a proper mixture forthe( oil used in order to provide a proper gas for heating or for anyother particular purpose desired.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a top plan View of an explosiveengine, an embodiment of the invention being shown connected thereto,certain parts being in section; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectionalview through a generating device; Fig. 3 is a section through Fig. 2'approximately on line 3 3.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numeral, 1 indicates anexplosive .engine of any desired kind rovided with an air pump 2, alsoof any esired kind. The engine 1 is provided with the usual manifold 3through which the exhaust is discharged.

Manifold 3 is provided with an extension 4' for accommodating certain'parts of the ,in-

vention said extension 4 being-connected with a suitable muier, ifdesired. Arranged at a convenient point is a supply tank 5 in which oil6, preferably crude oil, is placed.

Pump 2 is connected through suitable pipes4 to tank 5' so as to supplythe same with comressed air, a check valve 7 being interposed 1n,said`pipe so as to prevent any reverse movement of the air. A relief valve-8`is also provided which may be set so that pump 2 can only maintain acertain pressure in tank 5. An oil discharge pipe 9I is connected withtank 5 and extends to near the bottom thereof.- This pipe has connectedtherewith pipe 10 which has a section 11 extending through the manifold3'and extensions 4. In order that the exhaust will not heat' pipe 11 inspots or cause a sudden heating of the oilby the intermittent dischargeof the exhaust, a housing 12 surrounds section 11 to near the dischargepoint, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The section 11 of pipe lO'is providedwith a valve 13, which valve has an operating shaft 14.

Connected to shaft 14 is la crank 15 having- 24. Chamber23 is in freecommunication j with a section 11 of pipe 10, which section is taperedat 25 so as to give a spray eect to the discharge into chamber 23.Chamber 23 is provided with an opening 26 adapted to accommodate theneedle valve 27, which needlevalve may have a handle 28 for operatingthe same, or may be provided with a squared portion or other suitablemeans for receiving a tool, whereby theneedle valve may be adjusted. Theneedle valve 27 is provided with threads 29 so that upon a rotation ofthe valve the same will be opened or closed. rlihe opening 26 dischargesdirectly into the mixing chamber 30, while the opening 31 from the airchamber 24 discharges into the mixing chamber through an inclinedpassageway 32, whereby the air is discharged into the spray of oil at atangent and thereby mixes more quickly and in a better manner. 1t willbe noted that there is a short passageway 33 through which the air andoil spray must pass before entering the mixing chamber 30. This alsoassists in causing a more perfect mixing of the air and gas. rlhe airopening ..31 coacts with the needle valve 34 which is constructedsimilar to needle valve 27 and therefore will need no additionaldescription.

The air pipe 20 discharges air into chamber 24, which chamber ispreferably comparatively small, and which chamber is also preferablyprovided with an air' pressure substantially equal to the air pressurein tank 5. rll`he pressure of the oil in chamber 23 is alsosubstantially equal to the pressure in tank 5 so that the oil spray andthe air sprayis of substantially equal pressure. lt is of course to beobserved that the oil passes through the manifold before it passes intothe chamber 23, whereby the same is in a more or less gaseous orvaporized state.

lt is also to be observed that this oil supply is heated to the desiredextent for quickly mareos i mixing with the air, the air being more orupwardly through the discharge member 40.

and from thence through check valve 41 and then pipe 42. A hand operatedvalve 43 is provided in pipe 42 so as to manually shut olf the gas fromchamber 30'whenever desired. rlihe check valve 41 is designed to preventthe reverse flow of gas from storage tank 44. It will be observed that awire mesh member 45 is arranged in the discharge opening 40 and ailtering medium 46 is arranged adjacent the wire mesh. The filteringmedium 46 may be asbestos or asbestos wool, as desired. From the storagetank 44 the gas is led through pipe 47 to pipe 48, and from thencethrough check valve 49 to the throttle valve 50 of engine 1. A. reliefvalve 51 is provided adjacent the throttle valve 50 so that if thethrottle valve was suddenly shut off the gas may escape without doinginjury to various parts. Connected with pipe'40 is a by-pass or returnpipe 52 provided with a check valve 53 and a hand operated valve 54,pipe 52 connecting pipe 48 and mixing chamber 30. rThis pipe is torelieve the mixing chamber 30 of excessive pressure. lln'order toaccomplish this relieving action when the pressure in chamber 44 reachesa predetermined extent no more of the explosive mixture will passtherein, but will pass into pipe 52 and through valve 54 which isnormally open. From valve 54 the explosive matter will pass through thecheck valve 53, and from thence to pipe 48. From pipe 48 the explosivematter passes through check valve 19. either to the engine or to therelief valve 51. llt will be noted that the explosive matter in chamber44 not discharged, will not be raised beyond a certain pressure.' Inorder that the supply of air and oil may be automatically shut off apiston 55 is provided and is arranged with one face in freecommunication with chamber- 30, and is adapted to operate in a cylinder56. Normally spring 57 holds the piston 55 in the position shown in Fig.1, but when pressure in the chamber 30 .exceeds a certain limit. thepiston will be moved against the action of spring 57 and consequentlywill raise the piston rod 58 and swing the lever 59 'so that link 16will be moved longitudinally, whereupon valves 13 and 19 will be closed.llt will of course be evident that the closing/of these valves may bedone quickly or slowly, or that thesev valves may be only partiallyclosed so as to supply a small quantity of fuel. When the engine 1 isstopped thepressure in chamber 30 and chamber 44 will increase until thesame reaches the maximum, after `which thepi'ston 55 will be moved forshutting 0H completelythe air and the oil. x

The-invention has been'described in connection With an explosive engine,and the illustrations have been shown connected with an explosiveengine, but it will beevident that the system offprovding 'an equalpressure throughout and the various detailed. structures couldbe usedseparatelyl from the explosiveJ engine for providing a gasfrom'crude'oil or any other oil containing hydrocarbon. By feeding airto the generator from tank 5 the climatic changes and conditions Willnot produce any effect upon the quality of 'the gas orl the action ofthe explosive` engine or other device to which the gas is supplied.Where an ordinary carbureter is used air is taken from the surroundingatmosphere, and by reasonv of this factthecarburetermust be readjustedevery:

time the air changes. By using a supplyof compressed air, as abovedescribed', the ordinary 'climatic changes and the condition ofthesurrounding air Will not in any Way proper mixing ofthe gases and the 4properfaction of the gases' when used.

When the, system is 4used independently of an explosive engine anydesired means may be provided for supplying heat to the tulou-i:v

v ylar member or manifold 3. When using the gas for'an explosiveengine'the needle valves 27 'and jlare adjusted to produce a propermixture of air and gas, or in other Words a vproper Vexplosive mixtureforthe engine Without .the'engine 'drawing ina supply of airl from thevsurrounding atmosphere. When the gas is to be used for heatingpurposes,vas-for instance in a stove, the needle valves 27' and 34 are againadjusted so as to produce 'a proper lburning gas.

the needle valves are once set for'thel particular. mixture they areleft in that position continually as the oil isfed thereto at acontinuous equal pressure and the air is fed" theretoat a continuousequal pressure, ,said air being ofcontinually the same characteristi'cs.partially vaporized oil with the 'air in a heated condition, filteringthe same and then drawing the same from a storage chamber, a gas isprovided which may be transmitted through pipes any desired distanceWithout detriment, or may be stored for `any de sired length of time.

Wha @nim is- 1f. In a gas generating system of the class described, anatomizing device, means for" When v By properly mixing the heated and toa point o^f utilization, said means includ- 'ing a-iltering memberdesigned to'hold back v dirt and oily substances, and to cause a moreintimate mixing of the air and oily matter.

2. In a gas generating systemof the character described, an atomizingdevice, means for supplying air and oil to saidatomizing device, amixing chamber for receiving the air and oil in a sprayed condition, astorage chamber for receivingsaid air and oilafter the saine have beenmixed, means for'leadingn the mixture from said storage chamber to apoint of utilization, and pressure actuating means in directcommunication' With the oli the air and oil from said atomizing device.

lzer, a'mixing chamber for receiving air and fuelfrom said atomizer, afuel supply tank, means for maintaining said fuelsupply tank With airunder pressure,'1'neans for directing fuel from said supply tank to saidatomizer, means for leading air from said supply tank to said atomizer,a controlling valve ara pressure operated piston arranged in saidmixing'chamber, and means for connecting said piston vvith both of saidvalves, whereby when said piston. isy moved in one direction said valveswill be closed, and Whenmoved in the opposite direction said valves willbe opened, and means for leading the mixed air and fuel from said"mixing chamber to a point of util-ization.

4.1n a gas generating system,aaiiv atomizer, a .mixing chamber forreceiving air and fuel from said atomizer, a fuel supply tank,

, means for maintaining said fuel supply tank with air under pressure,means for leading the fuel in said supply tank to said atomizer, meansfor leading air frm said-supply tank "to said atomizer, a valve arrangedin each of said last mentioned means, a crank connectsaid cranks, aspring pressed 'piston arrangedpin said mixing chambensaid piston beingadapted to press said spring when the pressure in said mixing chamberhas reached 4a predetermined point, means for connecting lsaid pistonwith said link, whereby when 3. Ina gas generating system, an atomimixing chamber for automatically shutting -ranged in each of said lastmentioned means,

`ed to 'each of said valves, a link connecting said piston is moved bythe pressure in said l mixing chamber said link will be moved fol" nameto this specification in the presence of automatically shutting off thefuel and air two subscribing Witnesses.

from said supply tank, and means for leadyCHESTER E. CLARK. ing themixed air and fuel from sail mixing Witnesses:

l 5 chamber to a point of utilization. PHILIP D. ROLLHAUS,

In testimony whereof l have signed my A. H. DAVIS.

